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(Arlington, VA) - The W&OD Trail and Four Mile Run Dr are both closed between Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive due to a fallen tree that hit the power lines and caused a brush fire. It was reported on ArlNow: https://www.arlnow.com/2017/05/15/br...ile-run-drive/

Pics from the article:

I'll post an update if things clear up by this evening, but in the meantime, you can use Four Mile Run Trail as a detour as shown here: https://goo.gl/maps/CqRUHZV2FrS2

ArlNow posted a update on the situation:

Updated at 2:30 p.m. — The fire has been extinguished and Four Mile Run Drive is expected to reopen shortly. The access road is expected to remain closed until the fallen tree is removed.

While it is not known if the W&OD Trail will be open, trail users will be able to use Four Mile Run Drive (mostly one lane with parking lane) to get between Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive.

I passed by there and took some pics around the area. Everything was open, and the smell of the burnt hillside was still in the air. A lot of people didn't seem to even know what had happened.

Pics of the aftermath of the fallen tree-electrical wire-brush fire from earlier today:

(top) at first, it was difficult to find a good angle; (bottom) elevation was key to properly seeing the burnt area

(left) this truck was damaged by the fallen tree, now sporting a dent in the hood and a broken side view mirror among other things; (right) all that remained of the tree that started the chain reaction

scorched earth

(top) pano looking down the hillside; (bottom) pano looking at the trail and hillside

The sign is missing at the Shreve Road crossing on the W&OD. It's the one located between lanes and warns cars about the trail crossing. The sign's base is still there, though. I'm concerned that a biker could hit it while crossing the road and get thrown off. I just sent an email to the W&OD office and asked who else should be contacted on it.

I would like to compliment the crew that laid down the new asphalt for the MVT at TRI. The transition from the GW Parkway overpass to the trail is just perfect though I continue to brace myself for the now nonexistent bump. And once on the trail, it is sooo smooth. Nice.

Oooh, and cars have stop signs for where the trail crosses the parking lot. Something to think about for the National Airport exit road crossing.

Oooh, and cars have stop signs for where the trail crosses the parking lot. Something to think about for the National Airport exit road crossing.

I was in Herndon, yesterday and appreciated that all of the trail intersections with streets were 4 way stops. This just seems to make a whole lot of sense to me and I don't understand why other towns along the WOD haven't done this.

In some places, that idea should be taken a step further. For instance, at the W&OD / Buckthorn intersection, the two-way stop signs should be facing the dead-end street, and the trail users should have persistent right-of-way.